Betrayal Quote by Charles Dickens
““They meet again at dinner--again, next day-- again, for many days in succession. Lady Dedlock is always the same exhausted deity, surrounded by worshippers, and terribly liable to be bored to death, even while presiding at her own shrine. Mr. Tulkinghorn is always the same speechless repository of noble confidences, so oddly but of place and yet so perfectly at home. They appear to take as little note of one another as any two people enclosed within the same walls could. But whether each evermore watches and suspects the other, evermore mistrustful of some great reservation; whether each is evermore prepared at all points for the other, and never to be taken unawares; what each would give to know how much the other knows--all this is hidden, for the time, in their own hearts.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Bleak House by Charles Dickens, 1852
A tense, guarded relationship where both parties conceal motives and observe each other warily, revealing deep mutual suspicion and hidden agendas.
In simple terms: Two people pretend not to notice each other's secrets.
Key Takeaway
Beware of hidden motives in close relationships.
Themes
suspicion
power dynamics
secrecy
class
observation
Mood
tense
reflective
Type
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- family gatherings
- political negotiations
- corporate boardrooms
- neighborly disputes
Key Concepts
social hierarchy
psychological games
trust
privacy
Questions to Reflect On
- What are you assuming about others that you haven't verified?
- How does secrecy affect your own peace of mind?
A Different Perspective
Mutual suspicion can erode trust and prevent genuine connection.
![“I did Bored To Death with Jason [Schwartzman] and Zach Galifianakis and those guys. I mean, how lucky can you be that you get to be the old guy? I get to be Robert Preston to them now. That's what I feel. My job is to pass on what Preston and other people gave to me, which was show up, take the…” quote by Richard Masur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bc3/richard-masur-16998_bored_i-did-bored-to-death-with-jason-schwartz_1001289.jpg)
